2022 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- June 18-25, 2022 (pool swimming)
- Budapest, Hungary
- Duna Arena
- LCM (50-meter format)
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WOMEN’S 100 BACK
- World Record: 57.45, Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 2021 Australian Olympic Trials
- Championship Record: 57.57, Regan Smith (USA) – 2019 World Championships
- 2021 Olympic Champion: Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 57.47
- 2019 World Champion: Kylie Masse (CAN), 58.60
Top 16 Qualifiers
- Regan Smith (USA) – 58.31
- Kylie Masse (CAN) – 58.89
- Claire Curzan (USA) – 59.09
- Letian Wan (CHN) – 59.67
- Kira Toussaint (NED) – 59.69
- Emma Terebo (FRA) – 59.87
- Xuwei Peng (CHN) – 59.93
- Eira Medi Harris (GBR) – 1:00.03
- Margherita Panziera (ITA) – 1:00.40
- Maaike de Waard (NED) – 1:00.46
- Silvia Scalia (ITA) – 1:00.77
- Eunji Lee (KOR) – 1:00.78
- Paulina Peda (POL) – 1:00.83
- Hanna Rosvall (SWE) – 1:00.99
- Mimosa Jallow (FIN) – 1:01.01
- Analia Pigree (FRA) – 1:01.13
In probably the most surprising twist we’ve seen so far at these World Championships, women’s 100 backstroke World Record holder Kaylee McKeown no-showed the event this morning, leaving many of us scratching our heads.
Australia head coach Rohan Taylor provided further information on the decision, telling News Corp that McKeown wanted to race the final of the 200 IM tonight without having another event conflicting with it, as she would if she has semifinals of the 100 back in the same session. McKeown’s coach, Michael Bohl, wants the 20-year-old to gain international experience in the 200 IM to build confidence racing the event at this level.
Taylor told New Corp “Obviously it’s up to her and her confidence and it’s basically she’ll feel more confident just putting all her eggs in the basket for that medley and going for that.” McKeown was 3rd in semifinals last night, swimming a 2:10.17. At 19 years old, McKeown swam her lifetime best of 2:08.19 at the Australian Olympic Trials last June, which stood as the fastest time in the World for 2021. She would not go on to race the event in Tokyo, however.
Taylor would go on to say “It’s more about managing her programme. She’s going to have a lot of mixed relays, medley relays, 200m back, 50m back, the program’s quite extensive for this week and then we’ve got the Comm Games as well. So taking the opportunity to give her a real shot at the 200m medley to see what she can do fully prepared and that’s basically what they did.”
He also made sure to say that McKeown will still be racing the 100 backstroke at the Commonwealth Games next month. “Obviously at some point she’ll have to look at the double, that’s the reality but for now it’s just helping her just get used to it.”
All this nit picking for what would have been a very short turn around double that I doubt many would try and be successful in. If she swam both and bombed the IM there would comments that she doesn’t train hard enough or should have just dropped the IM altogether. It’s good to see her trying an alternative event on the world stage
She isn’t sure she can do the double period
Let’s see what she can produce tonight. But honestly, dropping a race to focus on another, I’ve seen so many of that , they always end up losing or finishing second…
An example from yesterday : Matt Sates dropping the 400free , and then misses the final in the 400im.
And the flip side is MA tried a double and performed dismally in the 2nd.
In 2019, Regan had the fastest 1bk in the meet/broke the WR on a relay leadoff without swimming the individual.
I think it’s unlikely but I still want that to happen again this year with Kaylee, just for the stat.
Ok, wanting to race 2IM at top level fully rested — but why make this decision at the very last minute? Thought she committed to 3 indiv Olympic events here. She and her coach would know her own ability and current form and fitness in the weeks preceeding this. My guess is she saw the level of the competition in the 2IM in heats and semis (Walsh) and realised she doesn’t have a chance at gold unless she went all in. And she really wants to gun for that gold. Even if it means dropping 100BK completely.
If she wants to win the 200 IM at Paris she most likely gonna have to win the 400 IM as well because the last 7 Olympic champion has sweeped both IMs, we know summer Macintosh can swim a very fast 400 Im, but makes me wonder what she can do in the 200 IM
This is some real big-brain logic.
210 at Mare Norstrom a couple weeks ago…🤔
This is not good for the sport. World stage with more coverage than most other meets and many top swimmers don’t want to compete. Besides injury and health, top swimmers should be swimming at top meets.
I’d argue that keeping an athlete physically and mentally healthy and allowing her to build into an increasingly ambitious event program at a pace that suits her and her coaches will give her more longevity. Seems this would be better for both her AND for the sport.
This should’ve been thought about at trials, swim the events you’re comfortable competing in. Build more events in when you’re ready. Not scratch when you’re already at the world stage.
Organisers should have thought about that when they threw this together a month before a much more internationally recognised event
Excuses excuses, Australians ducking the competition this year, idk why they’re so scared
Ya I mean, I got it last year when she just focused on the backstrokes – it worked! so many golds!
But idk this just doesn’t seem to add up: “Obviously at some point she’ll have to look at the double, that’s the reality but for now it’s just helping her just get used to it.”
Get used to what, not swimming doubles? It does seem like a really overly cautious approach.
You don’t get used to doubles by only swimming one of the races at each meet?
Exactly and the 100 back is a semifinal where she could easily qualify with a 59 low
What are they scare of? Have you ever asked that question?
They are just offended for… goodness know why? Probably cause they see it as a direct insult to a meet that the Americans are taking seriously. And they think they know what’s best for the swimmers.
I don’t know why you’re so mad. What’s it to you?
Why do you care? USA is literally the only country treating this meet like a world champs. No one else sent a full strength team. Win your medals and be happy with it. Why be mad that this event isn’t being taken that seriously? With the way it was put together, it shouldn’t be